Seidel Tanning Corp.

Seidel Tanning Corp. was founded in 1945 by Irwin Seidel during the final year of World War II. Before establishing his own business, Irwin Seidel worked as a salesman for Trostel Tanning, one of Milwaukee's major tanneries. Following the war, Trostel faced difficulties transitioning from military leather production and terminated Irwin's employment. Using savings accumulated during his tenure at Trostel, Irwin purchased an ownership stake in Thiele Tanning, a company founded by Helmut Thiele, a first-generation German immigrant.

The original facility was located in the Pfister & Vogel real estate area near the banks of the Milwaukee River, which had established itself as Milwaukee's tanning district. This location provided proximity to both water sources necessary for leather production and the infrastructure developed during Milwaukee's rise as a leather manufacturing center. The company began producing specialty leather for work and military applications, building on the expertise Irwin had developed in the industry.

In 1950, tragedy struck when Irwin Seidel died of a brain aneurysm only five years after founding the business. His son, Steve Seidel, assumed control of the company while still attending college. Despite his youth and limited experience, Steve Seidel successfully operated the tannery for approximately 30 to 40 years, maintaining production and customer relationships through the challenging period of American manufacturing decline.

The third generation brought significant growth under Fritz Seidel Sr., who expanded the company's operations and customer base during his tenure. The business transitioned to fourth-generation management with Fritz Seidel Jr., who serves as Vice President and maintains contact with industry partners and certification organizations. This continuity of family ownership across four generations has enabled the preservation of specialized tanning knowledge and long-term customer relationships.

Seidel Tanning Corp. emerged during the final period of Milwaukee's dominance in leather manufacturing. By 1890, Milwaukee had become the world's largest supplier of tanned leather, and by 1910, the city had established itself as the world's largest leather manufacturing center. This prominence resulted from several geographic and demographic advantages: proximity to Midwestern stockyards providing raw hides, abundant water access from the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan for tanning processes, and a skilled immigrant workforce, particularly German craftsmen who brought traditional tanning expertise.

Milwaukee's major tanneries—Trostel, Gallun, and Pfister and Vogel—dominated production through most of the 20th century. From 1945 through the 1980s, approximately 200 tanneries operated throughout the United States. However, foreign competition led to widespread closures beginning in the 1980s, with most major Milwaukee tanneries shutting down by the 1990s. Seidel is the only one of Milwaukee's major tanneries to have continuously operated since World War II, representing the last surviving remnant of the city's historic leather industry.

Seidel Tanning Corp. employs a combination tanning process that integrates chrome and vegetable tanning methods. The company functions as a retanner, working with wet blue stock—leather that has already undergone chrome tanning to the point of preservation. This chrome-tanned base provides flexibility and resilience to the finished leather.

Following receipt of the chrome-tanned material, Seidel applies a high vegetable retanning process using 25% vegetable extracts. This secondary tanning stage imparts additional structure and character to the leather while maintaining the softness achieved through chrome tanning. The combination method produces leather with both the durability and patina potential associated with vegetable tanning and the suppleness characteristic of chrome-tanned leather. Leather Working Group certification documents confirm that Seidel processes full grain and suede leather from cowhide using chrome tannage methods.

A distinguishing feature of Seidel's production is the hot-stuffing process, which achieves the heavy oil infusion characteristic of the company's leather products. This process utilizes very hot air along with tallows and waxes to saturate the leather with oils. Vegetable extracts, dyes, fat liquors, and waxes are mixed in large vats before being pumped into rotating tanning drums where the leather absorbs these materials.

The hot-stuffing method creates leather that is naturally water-resistant, particularly evident in roughout and pull-up leather styles. The oils and waxes function as a barrier that repels water and prevents penetration into the leather structure, though the material is not completely waterproof. For specialized products like Double Shot, Seidel developed a unique multiple hot wax process that infuses wax into the leather at several stages. Production time ranges from 8 to 24 hours depending on the specific leather type and finishing requirements, with all leather made to order based on individual customer specifications.

Seidel produces several signature leather lines, each developed for specific performance characteristics and applications. Oil Tan leather is dyed with rich pigments throughout the entire hide thickness, creating deep and long-lasting color with a matte finish and subtle sheen. With a thickness of 7 to 8 ounces, it was originally developed for work boot applications requiring resistance to heavy wear. The leather is also available in a roughout version as Oil Tan Roughout, offering the same durability with a suede-like flesh-side finish.

Double Shot leather features Seidel's unique multiple hot wax process, creating full grain material with high suppleness balanced by sufficient firmness. Available in seven colors with a thickness of 4.5 to 5 ounces, it was originally developed from the first sample material sent to Truman Boot Co., who manufactured test boots and approved commercial production.

Several leather lines represent exclusive collaborations with specific boot manufacturers. Nicks Handmade Boots uses Seidel leather exclusively, with multiple proprietary products developed for their specifications including 1964 Roughout, 1964 Smooth, Max Support Roughout, Max Support Smooth, and WeatherShield Smooth. The 1964 leather line was developed through collaboration between Seidel and Nicks, formulated with extra oils and waxes to accelerate break-in while maintaining durability.

Oak Street Bootmakers maintains exclusive leather developments with Seidel, including proprietary formulations not available to other customers. The tannery's ability to develop customized products for key customers demonstrates its flexibility and commitment to long-term manufacturing partnerships.

Seidel offers several other specialized leathers including Chieftain Roughout, a finished flesh-out leather with suede-like nap that is light, flexible, highly durable, and water-resistant due to heavy oil saturation. Domain and Domain Roughout provide additional options for grain-side and flesh-side finishes. Grizzly offers a distinctive aesthetic, while Cheaha and Stampede Roughout serve specific market segments.

The tannery also produces exotic leather offerings including Shrunken Bison, Mammoth Shrunken Bison, and Oiled Congo Shrunken Bison Roughout, which provide unique grain patterns and characteristics. Veg Retan represents a more traditional vegetable-tanned option for applications requiring that specific tanning method.

Seidel Tanning Corp. supplies leather to numerous American heritage boot manufacturers, with some maintaining exclusive leather developments and long-term supply relationships. Nicks Handmade Boots uses Seidel leather exclusively for all production, exemplifying the close working relationships the tannery maintains with key customers.

Danner represents what Seidel describes as their toughest client due to extensive quality control requirements. Black Waxy is the highest-volume leather Seidel produces for Danner, requiring consistent quality standards to meet the manufacturer's specifications. The difficulty of establishing the relationship and maintaining Danner's quality standards reflects the rigorous demands of large-scale heritage footwear production.

Oak Street Bootmakers maintains exclusive leather developments with Seidel, including proprietary formulations not available to other customers. This partnership demonstrates the tannery's willingness to develop customized products for key customers according to specific design requirements.

Truman Boot Co. was instrumental in the development of Double Shot leather, providing feedback on the first samples that led to full production of the leather line. The company uses Seidel's oil-tanned roughout and other products in their boot construction, with the close relationship enabling rapid iteration on new leather developments.

White's Boots, Viberg, JK Boots, Easymoc, Limmer Boots, Freenote Cloth, and Wesco all use Seidel leather in their products, collectively representing a significant portion of the American heritage boot industry. This broad customer base reflects the tannery's reputation for quality and consistency, as well as its capacity to meet the varied specifications required by different manufacturers.

The concentration of major heritage brands using Seidel leather has positioned the tannery as a critical supplier for the American heritage footwear industry. The company's ability to maintain continuous operation while larger competitors closed has made Seidel an essential source for domestic leather supply to this market segment.

Seidel Tanning Corp. has been continuously certified by the Leather Working Group since February 21, 2024, with certification valid through February 21, 2026. The company is registered with the Unique Reference Number SEI101 and holds certification as a Leather Manufacturer member. The audit category D designation indicates certification as a processor of tanned hide or skin to finished leather, reflecting the company's role as a retanner rather than a processor of raw hides.

The Leather Working Group certification confirms physical traceability of 76.77% through the supply chain, verifying the company's claims of domestic hide sourcing and responsible material procurement. The certification process evaluates environmental management systems, chemical usage, water consumption, waste management, and traceability practices. This third-party verification provides assurance to customers and end users regarding the environmental responsibility of the leather production process.

Seidel operates under a robust Environmental Management System and meets or exceeds all United States environmental regulations applicable to leather manufacturing. The company's commitment to environmental sustainability extends beyond regulatory compliance to encompass systematic management of resource use and waste streams. The Leather Working Group certification audit evaluates these management systems and confirms their effectiveness.

The tannery processes full grain and suede leather types from cowhide using chrome tannage methods, with facilities equipped to manage the chemical processes and water use required for leather production. Located at 1306 E Meinecke Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53212, the facility operates with consideration for the urban environment and proximity to the Milwaukee River watershed.

As of 2024, Seidel Tanning Corp. employs between 51 and 200 people, with one source estimating approximately 87 employees. Fritz Seidel Jr. serves as Vice President and maintains relationships with certification organizations and customers. The company can be reached at +1 414-562-4030 or through their website at seideltanning.com.

The tannery produces leather exclusively for footwear and leather goods industries, with products including workwear and boot leather, materials for wallets and carry goods, and leather for straps, belts, and accessories. All production is made to order based on customer needs, allowing for customization of color, thickness, and finishing characteristics. This custom production model enables the company to serve both large manufacturers requiring consistent large-volume supply and smaller producers seeking specialized materials for limited runs.